Method of making railway car bodies



A. C. LQHSE METHOD OF MAKING RAILWAY OAR BODIES Aug. 13, 194.

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 28, 1941 H.181 J in y /NVEN7'O)Q ALF ED Ci Low/aw ATTORNEY Au 33, 19 4s.

' mwjss A. c. gos-zsz METHOD OF MAKING RAILWAY CAR BODIES ori inal Fil ed Feb. 28, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 i @HSE ATTOIQ/VEY H3, 3 Aa c. LHSE METHOD OF MAKING RAILWAY CAR'BODIES 5 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Feb. 28, 1941' Aug. 13, 2946. A. LQHSE fl fi METHOD OF MAKING RAILWAY CAR'BODIES Original Filed Feb. 28. 1941 '5 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 l i l l l l E l l I I l 5 l 123.!

ATTORNEY} Aug". 13, 1946.

llllllllll 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v w w c. |.oHsE METHOD OF MAKING RAILWAY CAR BODIES II II FFIII L-IEIIIILL Original Filed Feb. 28, '1941 Patented Aug. 13, 1946 2,405,793 METHOD or MAKING RAILWAY CAR BODIES Alfred C. Lohse, Michigan City, Ind., assignor to Pullman-Standard Car pany, Chicago, 111., a co Manufacturing Comrporation of Delaware Original application February 28, 1941, Serial No.

381,152. her 11, 1941,

Claims.

This invention relates to a method of making railway cars, and particularly a railway car side wall.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a new and improved method of car construction having novel arrangements of parts whereby the car has minimum weight and maximum capacity.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved method of making outside sheathing for the sides of the car, so constructed and arranged that the edges of certain of the plates are overlapped and engaged, and certain of the edges are pressed to form side posts, and the sheathing on the outer side is flat and substantially free of wrinkles in the outer surface.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection wth the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a railway car embodying the invention with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a car, one half in cross section, and with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line l 4 of Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view through a portion of a car side showing the arrangement of the sheathing and the integral posts;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through one side of the car showing the connection at the top and bottom of the sheathmg;

Fig. '7 is a, vertical section of one side of a car through the door with parts broken away;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2 with parts broken away;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view thereof with parts broken away;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line iil-lfl of Fig. 2 with parts broken away;

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 10 with parts broken away;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal sectional View across one corner of a portion of the side with parts broken away but showing a modified form of corner post construction;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 12 with parts broken away;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of a jig showing the door panel in position for fabricating the door;

Divided and this application Septem- Serial No. 410,477

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the door after the parts have been assembled;

Fig. 16 is a section on the line Iii-l6 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a section on the line 11-47 of Fig. 15; and a Fig. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing a portion of the car side mounted in a jig for stretching the sheathing prior to welding thereto the longitudinal framing members.

This application is a division of the pending application Ser. No. 381,152, filed February 28, 1941, on the names of Alfred C. Lohse and William H. Mussey.

In the construction of railway cars, it is desirable that the weight of the car be greatly reduced from that of'the conventional car without altering its outside dimensions or decreasing its capacity. The use of thin gauge sheet metal in the sheathing for the side walls is an important factor in reducing the car weight. The car sides thus built, however, are full of wrinkles, for which there are many causes, one of the most important of which is the warping effect on the sheets due to the heat generated during the welding together of the sheets. The present invention seeks to overcome th s difiiculty.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character I designates generally a railway car having an underframing 2 (Figs. 1-3) supported by trucks 3, side walls end Walls 5, flooring 6, and roof section 1.

The underframing comprises generally a center sill 8 (Figs. 2 and 3), bolsters 9, cross bearers l0, and floor supports H. The angle member 12 and subframe or subsill it are considered as a part of the side wall of the car since they are rigidly connected to the side sills, which in'turn are rigidly connected to the side walls.

Since .only the car sides and parts thereof form the subject matter of the present invention, the details of the remainder of the car will not be described specifically. The side obviously may be employed on cars of many difien. ent types and arrangements, and, for the purpose of illustration, one type only of car is more or less generally shown.

' In the construction of the car, the end and side walls, together with the corresponding sills, are fabricated separately on horizontal jigs by stretching and welding, after which these walls are assembled on the underframe.

Each of the side walls of the car comprises a side sill and a side plate 132 (Figs. 3 and '7). Thesidej sills are angular in cross section having a horizontal flange I33 and a vertical flange I34 extending throughout the length of the car. The side plates I32 are channel form in cross section at their upper portion and have downwardly extending flanges I35. The channel faces outwardly, and the upperflange I38 is of reduced width, as shown more clearly in Fig. 7.

The side posts for the car are Z shaped in cross section and are formed from the edges of the sheathing plates reinforced by suitable means, as will now be described. The outer side sheathing is composed of a plurality of vertically arranged, intermediate and outer sheet metal plates I31 and I310, respectively. Each of the'plates I31.

has one edge offset inwardly slightly as at I38 (Fig. 12) for forming a recess for receiving the adjacent straight edge I39 of an adjoining plate, as shown in Figs. 1 and 12. The edge is then bent to angular shape to form a web I31a and an offset flange I311), which together with the ofiset portion I38 forms an angular post I4I, Z shaped in cross section, having the inner flange I311) extending longitudinally of the vehicle and adapted to contact the inner sheathing of the car and be welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. Suitable means are provided fOr reinforcing the side posts I4I. In the form of the device selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, an angle bar I42, which is nested in the inner angle of the side post formed by the web I3'Ia and flange I31b and welded thereto, is employed for this purpose for each of the posts. The outer sheets I 310 at the ends of the side walls do not have either of their edges distorted. The outer edge of each sheet I310 is secured between the adjacent flange oi the corner post and the reinforcing member, and its opposite edge I39 is secured in the ofiset I38 of the adjacent sheet or plate. The plates I31 and I310 are arranged in reverse order at each side of the door, as will be seen by an inspection of Figs. 8 and 'AdOOr opening I43 (Fig; 1) is provided in each sidewall. This opening has door posts I44 and I45 at each side thereof. These posts are channel shape in cross section, having their web portions turned toward each other and arranged transversely of the car, and each has a wooden filler post I46 contained within the channel (Figs. 8 and 10). Each of the posts I46 may, if desired, be provided with a rabbet adjacent to the edges of the inner flange in which is secured a suitable finishing strip I41 (see Figs. 8 and 10). The outer flange of the door post I44 is return bent as at I45 (Fig. 8) for providing a channel for receiving the front edge of the flange of the door frame, as will presently appear. The outer flange of the door post I45 is bent outwardly and rearwardly to form a keeper I49 for engagin the corresponding flange on the door frame, as will be described later.

Suitable gusset plates I5I and I52 (Figs. 1 and 8-11) are provided for each of the door posts at the corners formed by the junction of the door posts with the side plates and side sills, respectively (Fig. 2). The lower gussets I52 extend across the corner formed by the door posts and side sills, and each comprises a triangular plate having an inwardly extending flange I53 (Fig. 9) along its hypotenuse and a similar flange I535 along its base which rests on the vertical flange I34 of the side sill. The vertical edge of each of these plates is opposite the vertical edge of the panel or plate to which they are attached, and the gusset is welded to the plate so that when in position the vertical edge of the gusset extends along the outer surface of the door post between the outer sheathing and post, as indicated in Fig. 8. The flanges I53 and IE3!) are foreshortened adjacent to the door post to permit the edge of the gusset to be inserted between the sheathing and door post (Fig. 9). The gussets I5I are secured across the corner formed by the door post and the side plate and are similar to the gussets 52 and are attached in substantially the same manner but are turned upside down.

The corners of the car body may be and preferably are provided with similar gussets I54 (Fig. 2). The vertical edges of the gussets I54 are positioned between the vertical flange of the corner post and the reinforcing member and are welded in position as indicated in Figs. 12 and 13.

The upper edges of the sheathing and the side posts extend upwardly on the inner side of the flange I35 of the side plate and are Welded thereto.

The side posts are rigi ly connected at their lower ends to the vertically extending flange I34 of the side sill in any suitable manner. In the form of the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, suitable brackets I25 are employed for this purpose. The web I31a and flange I311) of the side posts terminate at the upper edge of the flange 634, and the outer or offset portion 38, together with the adjacent sheathing, extends downwardly on the outside of the side sill and is welded thereto. A bracket i2!) (Fig. 4), U-shaped in cross section, which has its web portion welded to the post i4I, extends downwardly beneath the same along the inner side of the flanges I34 of the side sill cc (Figs. 3 and 4) and has its outer, enlarged flange welded thereto. The lower end of the bracket may be tapered downwardly at its lower end; that is, it is beveled downwardly from its inner side at its lower end and termihates above the fillet extending along the angle formed by the vertical flange I34 and floor 6. Any other suitable type of bracket may be employed for this purpose.

Suitable doors are provided [or each side of the car. The flange I34 between the door posts is notched or partially removed (Figs. 2 and 7) to accommodate the floor plate or threshold plate 13, which extends over the door and between the door posts, and has its outer edge bent downwardly as at I14 for providing a guide for the door I15. Suitable tracks are provided for supporting and guiding the door in its movement to open and closed position. The lower track comprises an angle member I16, which is adapted to be secured to the sub-frame or subsill I11 as by means of suitable gussets I18. The rollers for supporting the door are adapted to ride on this angular support, and the roller mechanism has the usual guide for engaging the flange I15. Since this structure is old in the art, it is not shown. The upper end of the door is guided in its movement by a track I19, which is welded to the vertical flange I35 of the side plate and has its lower end turned outwardly and upwardly for engaging in a corresponding channel I8I formed by the edge of the vertical flange of the door frame I82. An angular member I83 extends outwardly and downwardly over the track I19 for protecting the same against the weather.

Each door (see Figs. 14-17) comprises an inverted U-shaped frame I82 which extends across the top and down each side edge thereof. The upper rail I84 or top portion of the frame in cross section is roughly in the form of a horizontal! is extended inwardly beyond the having a downwardly extending flange I85 (Fig. 16) a horizontal portion I86, and an upwardly extending portion I81, the upper edge of which is bent outwardly and downwardly to form the keeper IBI for engaging the track I19. The frame member or stile along the forward vertical edge of the door is also of Z shape in cross section, having a body portion I89 extending upwardly along the forward edge of the door and its outer flange portion I9I extending along the outer surface of the door panels. The body portion I89 and the flange I 9I are welded to the door panels. An outwardly extending flange I92 constitutes a flange for engaging a keeper on the side wall of the car for preventing outward movement of the door when the same is closed, as is usual in such constructions. The stile or door frame member at the opposite edge of the door is in the form of an angle bar I93 having a forwardly extending flange I94 and an inwardly extending flange I95, which extend about the outer side and rear edge of the door panel, respectively, and are welded thereto. The flange I95 door panel and is bent forwardly for engaging a conventional keeper when the door is closed for preventing its lateral movement. The door panels comprise a plurality of strips or plates of sheet metal, an upper plate I96, a plurality of intermediate plates I91, and two lower plates I98 and I99 (Fig. 16). The plate I96 at the upper portion of the door has its upper edge and ends welded to the door frame. The intermediate panels I9! are alike, and each has its upper edge offset slightly inwardly, as at 202, for receiving the lower ed e of the adjacent panel above, and is then bent to form a strengthening corrugation 293 of any suitable contour, that shown being U-shaped in cross section, and the upper edge is then bent parallel with the upper plate I96 to form a foot portion 200 in contact with the panel I96 and is welded thereto. The lower edge of the plate I96 is welded to the offset portion 292 of the plate I 91, therebyforming a rigid box reinforcing member extending transversely of the door. The lower plate I 98 is provided at its upper end with corrugation similar to that of the plates I91, and its lower end is offset inwardly as shown at 204. The lowermost plate I99 has its upper end provided with a single offset or corrugation 295 and has an upper edge or foot portion parallel with the plate I98 and welded thereto, thereby forming a box reinforcing member. The offset portion 204 of the plate I98 is parallel with and welded to the plate I99. The plate I99 has its lower end offset outwardly as at 299, so that the olfset portion 296 is in vertical alignment with the panels I96, I97, and I98, and has its lower end bent inwardly as at 29?. A suitable reinforcing plate 298 is provided for the lower portion of the door for forming with the offset 206 a housing for the door supporting rollers (not shown). This plate has its upper end oifset outwardly as at 299 and is in contact with and welded to the body portion of the plate I99, and has its lower end bent outwardly into contact with the plate 296 and then downwardly and outwardly in contact with the flange 29?, and is welded to the plate 206 and the flange 297 to form the lower frame member for the door. By means of this arrangement, the body of the plate I99 is inwardly of the plane of the door panels. The door operating mechanism may be attached thereto without extending outwardly objectionan offset and 6 ably beyond the plane of the outer sheathing of the side walls of the car,

In fabricating the car body, the ends, sides, and roof are constructed separately and then assembled on the underframe. The ends, sides, roof, and doors are fabricated in horizontal position on jigs because of the convenience in weldmg.

In constructing the sides of the car, for instance, the sections of the side sheathing between the door posts and corner posts are fabricated as independent or separate units. Each sheathing section comprises a plurality of separate sheets or plates. Each plate first has its edge pressed to form the integral side post, and then the plates are welded together as previously described. The door posts are placed in position between the side plates and side sills and welded thereto. The sheathing for the side wall at one side of the door is welded at one end to the door post and a temporary corner post in the form of an angle bar is removably attached to the free end of the sheathing after which the door post and angle bar are forced apart to stretch the sheathing. In practice this is accomplished by applying tension to the outer ends of this sheathing in opposite directions. While the sheathing is in this stretched condition, the upper and lower edges of the same are welded to the top plate and side sill as previously described so that the sheathing Will be under material or substantial tension lengthwise of the car and the tension will be substantially uniform throughout the length of the car side. The side posts are also, at this time, rigidly connected to the side sill and side plate.

The roof and end sections are constructed in a similar manner. The corner posts are welded to the outside sheathing of the end wall in fabricating the end wall.

In Fig. 14 is shown, more or less diagrammatically, mechanism for assisting in such fabrica tion. A jig and means for stretching a door. is shown in this figure that will illustrate the method employed. After the top, intermediate, and lower plates or panels I99, I9'l, I98, I99, and 2M are welded together, which may be done in the jig 222, the top frame member I84 of the door is welded in position while the door is in flatwise position on the jig 222 with its inner side up. An angle bar 223 is dropped into the channel of the lower frame member 291 formed on the lower edge of the door. The hand clamps 224 are engaged with the jig and the angle bar 223 and the frame member I84 and tightened to stretch the metal transversely to the corrugations or reinforcing members 203. While in this stretched condition, the side bars I89 and I93 are welded to the door frame members I 86 and 29'! and to the vertical edges of the door panel. The angle bar 293 is, of course, removed when the clamps are released. A suitable temporary post or angle bar is detachably attached as by removable bolts to any edge of a section of sheathing that it is desired to stretch, if the edge is not already provided with a permanently attached post or rigid bar, and is removed after the parts are welded. For instance, the temporary angle bars attached to the outer ends of the outside sheathing for the car sides are removed when the side sheathing has been welded to the side plates and sills.

In the fabrication of the side Wall of the car, a suitable jig may be employed, and, for the purpose of illustration, Fig. 18 discloses an arrangement very similar to that employed in fabricating the doors, and shown in Fig. 14. The various sheets I31, including the end sheet I310, are all welded together, as previously described, into an integral sheet having the integral side posts 14! formed therewith. The door post I44 is first firmly clamped in place on the jig by means of suitable clamps 230, and then the sheathing is arranged in the jig as shown in Fig. 18, and suitable clamps 23! at the opposite end of the jig are affixed to a temporary corner post 232, previously welded to the end of the sheathing, and then the clamps 23l are gradually tightened to place the sheathing in tension and remove all wrinkles and buckles therein. The clamps 23! are tightened sufiiciently to move the temporary corner post 232 a distance from the permanent door post Md at the opposite end of the sheathing to correspond to the distance between this door post and the permanent corner post, the latter of which is to be attached to the sheathing at a later stage in the fabrication of the car: While the sheathing is thus tensioned, the upper longitudinal framing member or side plate I32 and the side sill 90 are properly placed along the top and bottom, respectively, of the sheathing, and then the sheathing and the side posts l4! are welded to these longitudinal members. When this last operation is completed, the side is removed from the jig and is ready to be applied to the underframe, as previously described.

After the side walls, end walls, roof, and doors have been fabricated on the jigs and the angle members and subsills or subframe members have been attached, the parts are assembled on the underframe. In assembling the car body, the side walls are placed in position on the subframe with the bolster ends in the space formed by the angle members and the bottom flanges of the side sills and outer ends of the cross bearers and floor supports in the space formed by the flanges of the side sills and subsills, These bolsters, cross bearers, and fioor support ends are welded in position, as indicated in Fig. 2. The temporary corner posts are removed from the side sheathing. The end walls are then placed or slid into position with the ends of the side sheathing extending between the flange H3 of the corner post 83 and the flange HT of the reinforcing member H5 (Fig. 5) and the parts rigidly connected together by rivets I I! as shown, or by welding. In sliding the end walls into position to cause the side sheathing to slip in between the end post and the end post support, the auxiliary end sills l2 and brace members 16 of the end sill sections slide along on each side of the center sill. When in position, the end sills, auxiliary end sills, and brace members are connected to the center sill by arc-welding, or other suitable means. The top section is then placed in position and the parts rigidly secured together as by welding, or rivets. The floor and inner sheathing and the like are then applied.

It will thus be seen that the sides and ends of the car can all be constructed separately and then assembled on the underframe and the roof applied and secured in place. In this manner, the super-structure and underframe are all welded together into a unitary structure.

The construction herein described is for the purpose of disclosing one form of the invention and by way of example only, and it is understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that side plate and side the construction and operation of the present device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that changes in size, shape, proportion, and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,

I claim:

1. The method of fabricating a railway car side wall having a side frame covered by sheathing so as to produce a car side wall that includes a car side sill, a car side plate, spaced upright posts, intermediate side posts, and sheathing all interconnected to form a rigid wall structure, the side sill and side plate being at least coextensive in length with the sheathing, the spaced upright posts rigidly connecting the said side sill and side plate, and the side posts being disposed between the upright posts and being rigidly secured to the side plate and side sill, comprising providing sheathing with a plurality of car side posts integral with the sheathing in the region between the ends of the sheathing, then while maintaining one end thereof substantially fixed at least with respect to one of the upright posts, tensioning the sheathing so as to apply a substantially uniform tension throughout the length thereof to substantially remove wrinkles and buckles, and while holding the sheathing in this tensioned condition securing the sheathing rigidly to the side sill and the side plate substantially throughout the length of the sheathing and rigidly fastening the upper and lower ends of the side posts to the side plate and side sill, respectively, and other upright post.

2. The method of fabricating a railway carside wall having a side frame covered by sheathing so as to produce a car side wall that includes a car side sill, a car side plate, spaced upright posts, intermediate side posts, and sheathing all interconnected to form a rigid wall structure, the side sill and side plate being at least coextensive in length with the sheathing, the spaced upright posts rigidly connecting the said side sill and side plate, and the side posts being disposed between the upright posts and being rigidly secured to the sill, comprising providing a plurality of substantially flat metal sheets, that in height are at least coextensive with the distance between the side sill and side plate, with offset, post-like portions coextensive with the height of the sheet, then welding together the adjacent edge portions of the sheets while the sheets are arranged in substantially the same plane, and the welds extending substantially throughout the lengths of the edges, to form sheathing for the wall, the offset portions all being disposed on one side of the sheathing and forming vertical side posts intermediate the ends of the sheathing, then, while maintaining one end of the sheathing substantially fixed at least with respect to one of the upright posts, tensioning the sheathing so as to apply a substantially uniform tension throughout the length thereof to substantially remove wrinkles and buckles, and while holding the sheathing in this tensioned condition securing the sheathing rigidly to the side sill and the side plate substantially throughout the length of the sheathing, and rigidly fastening the upper and lower ends of the side posts to the side plate and side sill, respectively, and other upright post.

3. The method of fabricating a railway car side wall wherein a doorway is disposed intermediate the ends of the structure and which wall comprises a side frame covered by sheathing so as to produce a car side wall that includes a car side sill, a car side plate, spaced upright posts at opposite ends of the wall structure, a door post at each side of the doorway, intermediate side posts between each door post and the adjacent upright post, and sheathing all interconnected to form a rigid wall structure, the side sill and side plate being at least coextensive in length with the sheathing, the spaced upright posts rigidly connecting the said side sill and side plate, and the side posts being disposed between the upright posts and being rigidly secured to the side plate and side sill, comprising fabricating a section of said sheathing coextensive with the distance between one door post and the adjacent spaced upright post and providing intermediate side posts integral therewith in the region between the ends of the sheathing, then securing one end of the sheathing to the last mentioned door post substantially throughout the length of the sheathing end, then, while holding said door post fixed, tensioning the sheathing from substantially the other end thereof so as to apply a substantially uniform tension throughout the length of the sheathing to substantially remove wrinkles and buckles, and while holding the sheathing in this tensioned condition rigidly securing the sheathing to the side sill and the side plate substantially throughout the length of the sheathing and rigidly fastening the upper and lower ends of the side posts to the side plate and side sill respectively, and to the upright post adjacent to the last mentioned door post.

4. The method of fabricating a railway car side wall having a side frame covered by sheathing so as to produce a car side wall that includes a car side sill, a car side plate, spaced upright posts, intermediate side posts, and sheathing all interconnected to form a rigid wall structure, the side sill and side plate being at least coextensive in length with the sheathing, the spaced upright posts rigidly connecting the said side sill and side plate, and the side posts being disposed between the upright posts and being rigidly secured to the side plate and side sill, comprising providing a plurality of substantially fiat metal sheets, then welding together the adjacent edge portions of the sheets while the sheets are arranged in substantially the same plane and the welds extending substantially throughout the lengths of the edges, to form sheathing for the wall, then, while maintaining one end thereof substantially fixed at least with respect to one of the upright posts, tensioning the sheathing so as to apply a substantially uniform tension throughout the length thereof to substantially remove wrinkles and buckles, and while holding the sheathing in this tensioned condition securing the sheathing rigidly to the side sill and the side plate substantially throughout the length of the sheathing, and rigidly fixing the sheathing with respect to the side plate and side sill in the regions adjacent to and throughout the length of each side post and other upright post.

5. The method of fabricating a railway car side wall having a side frame covered by sheathing so as to produce a car side wall that includes a car side sill, a car side plate, spaced upright posts, intermediate side posts, and sheathing all interconnected to form a rigid wall structure, the side sill and side plate being at least coextensive in length with the sheathing, thespaced upright posts rigidly connecting the said side sill and side plate, and the side posts being disposed between the upright posts and being rigidly secured to the side plate and side sill, comprising providing a plurality of substantially flat metal sheets, then welding together the adjacent edge portions of the sheets while the sheets are arranged in substantially the same plane and the welds extending substantially throughout the lengths of the edges to form sheathing for the wall, then securing the sheathing along one end thereof to one of the uprights and, while holding said upright post fixed, tensioning the sheathing from substantially the other end thereof so as to apply a substantially uniform tension throughout the length of the sheathing to substantially remove wrinkles and buckles, and while holding the sheathing in this tensioned condition rigidly securing the sheathing to the side sill and the side-plate substantially throughout the length of the sheathing and rigidly fixing the sheathing with respect to the side plate and side sill in the regions adjacent to and throughout the length of each side post and other upright post.

ALFRED C. LOHS-E. 

